Blind
by EfrainMan
Summary: Epilogue up! COMPLETE! Sasuke's in love . . . well, more like a wayward lust borne out of a desire to rebuild the Uchiha. Some spoilers. Please R&R. SasuHina, NaruHina.
1. Prologue

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead.  
  
"Prologue"  
  
* * *  
  
"Hyuga Hinata vs. Hyuga Neji"  
  
* * *  
  
Sasuke felt like shit. The last thing he remembered was Kakashi binding his cursed seal. And now he was in a hospital, his limbs aching, his head throbbing and his inner coils system completely out of whack.  
But he needed to stand. There was a tournament going on and he had to see them fight. He had to see Gaara fight. Naruto and Sakura's fight interested him, too. Every bone in his body cried foul as he tried to get out of bed.  
"You're awake?" Sasuke looked up at the voice to see an ANBU sitting on the opposite side of the room, watching TV. But he noticed something else.  
"You're an illusion," he stated matter-of-factly.  
"You need to go back to sleep." But Sasuke continued to get out of bed.  
"I need to watch the fights." He walked to the door. The ANBU got up to stop him, but Sasuke walked right through him. He stumbled and leaned on the door, hissing slightly. Sweat began to bead on his forehead and he was panting.  
"Hey, you can watch the fights on a closed feed here," the ANBU said as he pointed to the TV, "we have it set up so any student who was hospitalized and wants to watch, can." Sasuke looked at him pensively.  
'It's not the same," Sasuke thought, 'my Sharingan won't work.' But he sat down slowly anyways, the ANBU "sitting" next to him. On screen, two people were speaking, but could not be heard. He recognized the boy as Neji of the Hyuga clan. He'd heard he was strong. Another opponent for him to gauge and defeat . . . if it would be worth it. The girl was a mystery, but she had eyes just like Neji's. Byakugan.  
"Who's the girl?" Sasuke asked somewhat difficultly. His chest hurt.  
"Hyuga Hinata, main house. The other's Hyuga Neji, branch house." Sasuke noticed that Neji was intimidating Hinata, and being very successful at it. She was cowing from him, and they had not even fought yet. But then they were distracted by something. Was someone speaking? The girl seemed more confident, and the fight began. He knew of the Hyuga Gentle Fist technique, and after some time Hinata landed the first blows. But Neji seemed only slightly fazed. Then Neji landed some major blows that left Hinata visibly injured and impaired. Sasuke humphed, 'weakling.'  
"Her chakra openings were closed . . ." the ANBU said softly to himself, but Sasuke heard him. 'That explains it. Even I could not fight someone of his skill with closed chakra openings.' Something distracted their fight again. The fight was clearly coming to an end, Neji landing blow after blow. After some time, Hinata was clearly down and defeated. The distraction came again. Sasuke's eyes widened as Hinata was getting up again. She was getting up. His heart raced at the sheer audacity of the kunoichi. He could not hear her, but he was sure her words were brimming with strength. Bleeding and broken, she was still willing to fight. His pulse was racing and his breathing was becoming heavier. It was too much for his weakened state, and he passed out, not waking again until the prelims were done. Before he went out, a thousand thoughts raced through his head. But the last in his mind was the clearest:  
'I will rebuild the Uchiha with that girl.'  
  
* * *  
  
As Hinata was being wheeled away to surgery she was remembering, for some reason, the first time she met Naruto. It was sometime after the Uchiha incident. And it had rained recently. She was wandering around the town for some reason. Possibly sneaked out of her house after being yelled at by her father. She wasn't advancing fast enough for him. But as she walked along, lost in her own thoughts, someone bumped into her. She fell into some mud.  
"Watch it," she heard a voice say. She looked up to see the back of some boy. An Uchiha, from his crest. She looked down at herself, drenched in mud. Her father will know she sneaked out. Her punishment would be severe. Her hands clenched into fists, her face stoic. She remembered his name was Sasuke. But she was about to cry. Then he felt a hand on her shoulder.  
"Are you hurt?" She looked up at the face of another boy with light hair and a face like a fox's. Her family had told her to stay away from this . . . Naruto. But this boy was . . .  
"What a jerk. Here, lemme help you up." And he did. She leaned against him. He was picking mud from her hair, and she blushed. She could only look at him with incredulity.  
"Will you be alright?" Naruto asked. She nodded.  
"Sorry I gotta leave, but I gotta be somewhere."  
'Wait. Don't go.'  
"There's a bath house around the corner there," he grinned widely and giggled, "you need it."  
'Wait.' He let go and ran off in another direction. She stared, pining for him already.  
"Thank you."  
  
* * *  
  
She smiled. The surgeon looked at her funny. Then he started to apply the anesthetic. Before she went under, she remembered something she decided on that day besides that she wanted to be with Naruto. She would never like that Sasuke boy. Not one bit. 


	2. Part 1

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead, as this takes place during the events of Chapter 177 (with some during Ch. 172). You have been warned.  
  
A/N: 9 reviews in one chapter?! Jeez, it took 7 chappies for my other story (different fandom, 'tho) to dredge up 9 reviews. Thank you, gracias, danke, arigato, merci, cheers, grazie, and obrigado.  
  
FYI, daydreamer5290, I'm trying to make them as in-character as I can for the circumstances, but I also don't wanna stifle the story. The "real" Sasuke wouldn't care 'bout a girl that way, and the "real" Hinata would not act like that to Sasuke, or anyone else. But then the story'd be borin', ne? :p  
  
Got some people eager for NaruxHina *cough*yurimi- neko*daydreamer5290*cough* Shall I disappoint or not? Hehehehe.  
  
As for the rest of you HinaxSasu.lovers.or whatever, I'm really gonna enjoy writing about this pair. Personally, I'd like Sasuke with Sakura, and Naruto with Hinata in the canon story.but that's been done in fics and I wanted to write sumthin' a bit more original (which I guess you're glad for).hmmmm.*evil thought warning* 100% Lemon NaruxHinaxSasuxSaku fic! Four- way, baby! BWAHAHAHA! *end evil thought warning* Newayz.read on!!  
  
Part 1  
  
* * *  
  
After watching Kiba and Akamaru "dynamically air mark" the surrounding trees and Shino collect various bugs, Hinata decided she wanted a hobby. But what?  
"I'll see you two tomorrow," she told them somewhat softly and waved.  
"Have a good evening, Hinata-san," Shino said. Hinata noticed he still used "-san". Was it out of respect of her clan? Or . . .  
"Bye, Hinata-chan!" Kiba shouted from above. Akamaru barked his goodbye, and Hinata walked away in the direction of her apartment. She began to deliberate about hobbies. It would have to be something besides her training. Nothing her teammates did interested her. She already had the extraneous skills of a kunoichi down pat, and she liked to cook, but just for her? Maybe she should delve deeper into her herbs, proceed beyond healing potions. That was a definite maybe.  
'Maybe I should make it a hobby to catch Naruto-kun.' She instantly blushed furiously and shook her head frantically. But after mulling it over for a second, she smiled and put that in her "maybe" pile. Thinking again, maybe she could combine cooking and Naruto . . . a saying from a faraway land went, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." She giggled. Using one hobby to facilitate the completion of another's objective. Maybe she could concoct a potion to have him fall in love with her. She blushed and shook her head again.  
'There it is again,' she thought. Someone was following her. And being only somewhat careful about it. She was just as good at noticing others as Kiba with Akamaru or Shino with his bugs. But whoever was following her did not know that. Once she was sure, she became quite nervous. But they did nothing as she walked along, giving her time to compose herself. Then she heard their pace quicken in her direction. Whoever it was, they weren't going to keep themselves secret for long. She mustered her courage and turned in the direction of the footfalls. There was no reason to use jutsu yet. Only slightly surprised at who it was, she made no reaction when the boy landed in front of her. Around Naruto, she knew she was very timid. She was afraid she'd say the wrong thing, alienate him. Around others, she was only uncomfortable. She was not confident enough to think she mattered to them. But around this boy . . .  
"Hello, Hinata-chan. You noticed me coming, huh?" But around this boy she was . . . did he just call her "Hinata-chan"? How dare he be so familiar with her?! AND he insulted her skills. She crossed her arms and looked at him with the most chiding expression she could muster. Naruto had helped her become more confident during the Chuunin exams, and she felt more of her shyness leave every day bit by bit. It was slow, but it felt good. But around THIS boy . . . she was cool and confident.  
"Good evening Uchiha-san."  
"Ah, why so formal?" He smirked. "Why have you been following me?" She was cool and confident. At least, until he answered her question.  
  
* * *  
  
"Sasuke, quit seeking revenge," Kakashi told him, "In this line of work, I have seen how guys like you turn out. Those who taste revenge are never satisfied, and their lives end tragically. You'll only suffer more. Even if you are successful, you'll only be left with emptiness."  
"What the hell do you know!" Sasuke shouted at him, "Don't talk to me like you understand! What if I were to kill the one you love most?! How far would you stray from your advice?!"  
". . ." Kakashi thought, then said, "That might work, except I have no such person, unfortunately." Sasuke became angrier. Kakashi smiled warmly and sincerely at him, and said, "Those people have already been killed." Sasuke froze. "I've also lived in hard times. I do understand pain and loss. You and I aren't the luckiest guys around, but we're not the worst off. Both you and I have found precious companions." Sasuke knew of whom he spoke of. His words echoed through him for hours as he sat in the tree. He saw the faces of his precious companions in his head: Sakura smiling shyly and warmly at him, Naruto smiling mischievously and in a goading manner at him. But he saw his brother's eyes, too. Telling him he was weak, weaker than him. Inciting his desire for revenge.  
"Damn!" He struck the tree. "I need to get them out of my head!" He bounded out of the tree and ran across several rooftops. His urges were warring within him. He had to become stronger, that he knew. But how? Follow the trail that lead directly to his brother's death? And probably his own. Or follow the trail that could not be walked alone? The one needed to be walked with his teammates? Itachi's death could not be assured that way. But the potential of his own survival was far greater. Both Itachi's and Kakashi's words rang of sooth. Was there no middle ground? One path all but denied him his vengeance, the other would, he realized, make Sakura and his friends cry. He stopped running, grabbed his head, shook it and growled. Everything made so much sense that nothing made sense. His head began to hurt. He sighed and looked down. Then another urge rose in him. One that came only one other time. While he was recovering during the prelims for the third selection exam. He smiled deviously. Hinata was walking below him. He'd almost forgotten the girl. He decided to follow her.  
'This will be grand,' he thought. He'd win this girl's heart. And one day, when Itachi was dead, she'd be waiting for him here, ready to bear his children. But it was best to make her his now, before she was distracted by another guy in town. It would be easy, too. Every damn girl his age was infatuated with him, after all.  
  
* * *  
  
"Can I treat you to dinner?" Hinata froze.  
  
TBC 


	3. Part 2

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead, as this takes place during the events of Chapter 177 (before Orochimaru's men attack Sasuke). You have been warned.  
  
A/N: Sorry for the delay, comp was down. Something about the flu. But I should be updating a WEE bit more often now. BTW, Sharingan are said to have originated from Byakugan. So *IF* they have kiddies, they'd have either enhanced Sharingan or dulled Byakugan. And irate in-laws :p  
  
Why do so many want me to make this a NaruHina? WHYYYYYYYYYY? You'd think people didn't like this pairing or sumthin' XD. Eh, I already planned everything out before the first chappie came out newayz, so :p You'll just hafta read to find the pairing.  
  
Danke for the reviews!!! *giggles like a schoolgirl*  
  
Part 2  
  
* * *  
  
"D-dinner?" Hinata asked weakly. She paled slightly more than usual and a hand began to tremble.  
"Yeah," Sasuke smiling wantonly, "just you and me." He'd overheard someone use that once with great success.  
"Wh-why?" Her mind was reeling. Was this the same boy that vowed vengeance for the eradication of his clan, as her father told her? The same boy who was almost able to overcome the monster Gaara?  
"'Cause you're cute." He'd heard that one on a TV program*. He would need to do more research later, his best lines used up. He walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder, still smirking. "Let's go."  
"I. . ." Then her trembling hand became a fist and her countenance sobered. This was the same boy who tripped her into mud and blamed it on her. The same boy who caused her to get ten lashes of the cane when she got home that day, scarring her back. "I don't think that would be a good idea." Sasuke's face did not hide the shock very well.  
"Uh. . . you. . . don't think. . ." He was confused.  
"No, I. . ." she was getting nervous again for some reason. "I have a lot of chores and assignments to complete tonight." Sasuke thought about her reply. She was busy tonight. That's alright. He composed himself.  
"Tomorrow then, lunch or dinner?" He smirked, but lost some confidence.  
"I'm a-actually very busy. I, pretty much, eat on the go." Why was she making this up? Why didn't she tell him she really didn't like him.  
"Oh." Sasuke thought.  
"I have to go. Excuse me." She ran off. Sasuke only muttered an "uh. . ." before she was out of sight.  
'Damn it! What happened? First these girls are crowding me, next they're running from me. I thought they'd kill to go out with me. What the hell is wrong with her? Humph. Maybe she's a dyke.' He kicked the dirt at his feet and sulked away. Two of Hinata's traits never really occurred to him. That she was shy, and that she disliked him so much, it nulled the first trait. Around a corner, Hinata was breathing hard, her heart pounding. But only partly from her sprint.  
'What is that boy doing?'  
  
After they left, Mayumi finally got the courage to come out from hiding.  
"I gotta tell Ino."  
  
* * *  
  
Sasuke and Hinata were going to arrive at their homes at about the same time. Had they known they lived one complex away from each other, the next few days, indeed, the rest of their lives would have turned out differently. But life being as such, Sasuke was the first to notice. She was in the distance, walking towards him, her head down. He smirked. As he got closer, more ideas surfaced. Maybe he would help her with whatever she was doing tonight. Something sappy like that. He didn't care. Anything to have her spend some time with him. His smile grew as they got closer.  
"Hinata-chan!" She faced the origin of the voice, and her eyes went wide. She felt her face redden, a stupid smile crossing her lips. Was he calling out to her!?  
Sasuke scowled. 'What's HE doing here?' He moved closer and hid, being careful not to alert them. Naruto had seen her in the distance, and realized something while contemplating his fight with Sasuke. He was breathing hard from his run to catch up with Hinata.  
"N-Naruto-kun," she stumbled out meekly. She could feel her heart quicken, and began to play with her fingers. "G-good evening."  
"Evening, Hinata-chan," he said between breaths. He swallowed. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I gotta ask a favor."  
"A favor?" she said weakly. 'Anything!' she thought. Her flush intensified.  
"Yeah!" He flashed his vulpine smile, and Hinata melted. "I wanna learn your Taijutsu!" Twice this night, Hinata's sense of reality had been pulled out from under her. She wondered if the gods were playing tricks on her. Her brain was not happy.  
"Uh. . . wha. . . uh. . . huh?" was all she could muster. Between having Naruto not only speaking to her, but asking for a favor of that magnitude, and her encounter with Sasuke, her brain was running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  
"See, here's the thing," Naruto continued, "I got into a fight with Sasuke today-"  
"Sasuke?" She snapped back to reality.  
"Yeah! I tried to beat him with this WICKED move I learned, but thankfully Kakashi stopped us. Then I realized I probably woulda killed him. My move hit a big water. . . holding. . . thing, and it EXPLODED! He's my rival, and I wanna beat him, but I don't wanna KILL him! But I seen him fight. He's learned the crazy Taijutsu Rock Lee knows. And he knows my moves! So I figgered I gotta be able to at least keep up with him so I can hand him his ass. I know you, Neji, Rock and Gai-sensei know Taijutsu. But Rock and Gai-sensei are creepy," he lowered his voice just to say that, "and I don't think Neji'll be too willing after I creamed him, so I come to you! Please teach me!" Naruto gave Hinata a pleading bow, "I promise not to be a bother on you or your training, and I'll work real hard."  
Hinata was frozen in place. An even more stupid smile was on her flushed face. He was serous! Inside, she was laughing maniacally at the incredulity of all this. He would not have had a greater effect on her had he asked her hand in marriage. Slowly, analytical thought returned to her. What would her clan say? Is this forbidden? She didn't know. What would Neji say? What would her team and sensei say? She didn't know how to teach. She hasn't mastered it all herself yet. And the Gentle Fist doesn't work well without Byakugan.  
"Okay." If there was an inner Hinata, her jaw would be on the floor.  
"You will?!" Naruto was elated.  
"I have *gulp* quite a bit of free time b-between training. I. . . I sh-should make a. . . s-schedule. . ."  
"Alright!! You're the best! Thank you so much!" Hinata's heart skipped a beat when Naruto gave her a quick, impromptu hug. She wondered how she was still standing. "How can I repay you?"  
"I-I'll g-get b-back t-to y-you o-on t-that." She was losing it.  
"Great!" He started to run off. He waved back, "Keep in touch!" And he was gone. Hinata slowly made her way into her building and into her apartment. She mechanically opened the door, went inside, closed the door and locked it. She walked over to her bed and fainted.  
  
Outside her apartment building, there was a freshly made hole in its wall the size of a fist.  
  
TBC  
  
*Have you seen Sasuke's apartment? Nice! And he DOES have a TV in there. Poor boy, doesn't recognize when he's being shot down. BTW, I meant no offense in that one sentence, if ya know what I mean. 


	4. Part 3

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead, as this takes place during the events of Chapter 177 (before Orochimaru's men attack Sasuke). You have been warned.  
  
A/N: Wahoo! More updates! ;p BWAHAHAHA! Will this be SasuHina? NaruHina? Even I don't know!  
  
*Tomoyo9* : I hope this chappie answers your question.  
  
Read on, bruddas and sistahs!  
  
Part 3  
  
* * *  
  
Sasuke awoke with a headache. Exacerbated by someone pounding on his door. In actuality, it was only a normal rapping, but for him it was pounding. He groaned loudly enough for his visitors to hear him. The room became quiet.  
"Who the hell is it?!" he shouted.  
"Ino and Sakura!"  
Sasuke groaned.  
"And we're not leaving 'til you open this door!" She punctuated her statement with another knock. Sasuke slept less than four hours the previous night. He usually needed at least seven to be his usual "amicable" self. He rolled out of bed, uncaring of the bed sheets, and hobbled to the door. Unlocking it, he opened it halfway, assumed the most annoyed posture he could muster with his lack of sleep and said:  
"What?" In front of him stood an irate Ino and a disturbed Sakura, both reddened slightly from the fact that Sasuke was only wearing boxers. They managed not to drool. Barely.  
"Sasuke-kun, what's going on between you and Hinata?!" the two almost shouted. Both girls crossed their arms and glared at Sasuke. But this was far more troubling for Sakura.  
'For Ino,' she thought, 'this is just a prize being awarded to another. For me, this is Sasuke-kun ignoring someone who truly cares about him. Doesn't he see how much I-'  
"I'm gonna marry Hinata-chan someday. We're gonna rebuild my clan together." Both girls were agape. Not just at his admission, but at his bluntness. Sasuke shrugged impatiently.  
"Anything else?"  
"You're gonna. . ." Ino started.  
"With Hinata?" Sakura finished weakly.  
"Yes. Will you let me get some sleep now?" There was a long pause.  
"What the hell," Ino said loudly, "does she have that I don't?! I'm way better built than she is and I'm taller, too! I'm the best looking girl in this entire village!" Sasuke scoffed. Sakura was silent and in fact could only clutch her hands to her chest. Her throat had dried up.  
"Do you think that means anything to me? I have a clan to rebuild! I'm not going to do it with weaklings by my side. Strong clans have strong ancestors. I've seen Hinata-chan fight. She is strong, though it may not seem so at first. Not to mention she has an advanced bloodline! I'm not going to waste my time or my seed on inferior girls!"  
Their eyes were wide in shock at his statement. After a minute, Ino was the first to come out of it. A scowl was carved on her face as she walked to him. Sasuke closed his eyes in irritation, prepared for a litany. Sakura cringed at the sound Ino's hand made as it slapped Sasuke across the face. It was his turn to be shocked, his eyes wide open and his head turned to one side. Still seething, Ino turned to walk away. She turned back for a second and shouted:  
"You comin'?!"  
"I'll, uh. . . meet you downstairs," Sakura replied weakly. Ino's scowl softened into a melancholy as she noticed Sakura's rueful expression. She was also rubbing her arm.  
"Alright. . ." was all she said as she left, giving Sasuke one last glare. Sakura turned back to Sasuke.  
"Well?" he asked.  
"Why. . ."  
"I told you, Hinata is-"  
"Why did you have to turn out like this?!" Sakura shouted, tears beginning to form. Sasuke was puzzled. She continued:  
"Why did you have to be the kind of boy that you are?! Why do you have to be so cold to others?! So uncaring?! Why did you turn out this way?" She was no longer shouting. "Why did your brother have to kill your clan? Why did you have to be an avenger? Why couldn't you have been a normal boy? One who realizes he's the school heartthrob? One who realizes there are people who'd do almost anything to get close to you! Why can't you be someone who accepts others' gifts and affection, and returns the favors? Why don't you blush or smile when a pretty girl winks at you? Why couldn't you be a normal boy who doesn't have to rebuild a clan and can date cute girls and pick the one you care most about and cares the most about you? Why can't you see there are people who care so much for you it hurts?! Why do you have to be someone who can't see when others care about him, respect him, adore him, LOVE him?!"  
"Sakura. . ."  
"Why do you have to be so BLIND?!" Sasuke froze. Sakura waited for an answer, but Sasuke just turned his head. She quickly turned and fled. He stared at nothing for a few seconds. His grip tightened on the door before he slammed it. He walked over to his bed and crawled in. He tried to go back to sleep, attempting to dismiss Sakura's words as nonsense. He did fall asleep eventually, and as he dreamt, a tear rolled down his face.  
  
* * *  
  
Ino was not pleased.  
'Sakura's been in there way too long,' she thought. She was ready to go back in and tell them a thing or two. But she smiled when she noticed a flash of pink moving down the stairs. Then grimaced when she saw Sakura was crying. She went over to her and they enveloped each other in a hug. Sakura soon calmed down, although still sobbing.  
"Shhh. . . what did he say to you?" Ino asked.  
"I did all the talking. . . and. . . he didn't say anything. . . and. . . I think that hurts more than any words he might have said." Ino held Sakura for a couple of minutes in silence after that. Then they faced each other, still embracing.  
"Why are we such fools?" Ino said as she stroked Sakura's pink hair. "Getting all worked up over some jerk."  
"I-I don't know. . ." she replied softly.  
"It's 'cause we're too stubborn to admit we'll never get him. Or that there are plenty of fish in the sea. C'mon! Let's go find some other cute guys to hook. The kind that bite!"  
Sakura sniffled. "Uh, o-okay. . ." Sakura then gasped slightly as Ino placed her lips on her forehead. Her cheeks turned pink. When Ino let go of the kiss, she said something to Sakura she'd wanted to say for a very long time:  
"But let's stop being rivals, ne Sakura-chan? Let's be like we used to be. Best of friends!" Sakura smiled. This was far from over for her, but now she'd have Ino to help.  
"Okay." "Good." Ino then smiled at her the way she use to. . . and Sakura noticed it was a lot like the way Naruto smiled at her.  
  
TBC 


	5. Part 4

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead, as this takes place during the events of Chapter 177 (before Orochimaru's men attack Sasuke). You have been warned.  
  
A/N: Update of m455!v3 proportions! Three whole pages on Word! 8B  
  
Cookie6: Where do people get these ideas? o_O  
  
Huh. . . some people got sumfin' agin InoSaku. . . I think it's kinda cute. . . cuter than SasuNaru, newayz. :p  
  
Lady Adako: Very interesting data. . . too bad this is fiction, ne? But Sharingan supposedly had origins in Byakugan. Byakugan can do all Sharingan can, and lots more, so. . . who knows? ;)  
  
Part 4  
  
* * *  
  
Naruto was pumped. Earlier, he'd found a note delivered that said to meet Hinata at the roof of her apartment building at 4 pm. She would train him until 6. He was practically dying in anticipation all day, and now here he was, ready to learn new skills. Standing in front of him was Hinata, smiling slightly, her cheeks quite red, her fingers playing with each other.  
"All right! Let's get this party started!" he shouted, then froze at Hinata's slightly shocked expression. He chided himself and said, "Ah, sorry. . . good afternoon," he bowed, then grinned. Hinata stifled a giggle.  
"Good afternoon, Naruto-kun."  
"Thanks again, Hinata-chan! I'll be a very good student."  
"I'm very happy to help." She felt her blush deepen a bit.  
"Great! So what do I do?" He was ready. Hinata took a deep breath. There was Naruto-kun. Standing two feet away from her. Looking at her. Listening to every word she said. All of his senses trained on her. Watching her like a hawk. . . she shuddered and took another deep breath.  
"Naruto-kun. . . uh. . . I h-have to tell you that many abilities of the Gentle Fist style can only be accomplished w-with Byakugan. Blows have little force alone, their main objective being to force chakra into your opponent in such a way that it p-punishes their internal organs. But it only works if you are able to hit their inner chakra channels. Uh. . ." He's staring at me. . . calm down. . . focus on the lesson. "Byakugan are required to see those chakra channels within. Therefore, I will not be able to teach you that."  
"Okay. . ." he said, only somewhat disappointed, "it's all too gruesome anyways."  
"Alright, um. . ." deep breath, "however, I can teach you the basic Taijutsu used, as that is merely learning how to propel the body with great celerity."  
"Huh? Celery?" Naruto asked, confused. Hinata giggled.  
"Celerity. Quickness in motion."  
"Oh." He chuckled embarrassedly.  
"That's what we'll start today," she said with a smile, less flustered now.  
"Great!" Naruto shouted. Then he looked up at the sun. He had practically run over here, so he was a little sweaty. He took off his jacket and said, "It's kinda hot, and we're gonna be runnin' around a lot, right? I'll feel better this way." Hinata blushed again when she saw the boy's figure underneath the jacket and hoped that girls didn't get nosebleeds, too.  
"You should probably take yours off, too, Hinata-chan. It's thicker than mine!" Hinata was about to decline when she realized that not only was he right, it was also an opportunity. Normally, she was far too shy and apprehensive to use sex appeal to catch Naruto's eye. But here was a chance. With the very equanimity that Naruto had instilled in her in the Chuunin exam, she took off her jacket and set it down. Her face was crimson.  
Naruto was flabbergasted. 'There's a girl under all that,' he thought.  
"Wow. . ." he said softly. Hinata blushed even deeper and smiled. Again, if there was an inner Hinata, she'd be jumping up and down in elation.  
"L-let's c-continue. . . as you m-may or may not know, T-Taijutsu does not require Chakra. . ."  
  
* * *  
  
Sasuke awoke for the second time that day. Luckily, he was fully rested and no one was pounding at his door. His mindset was clear: Hinata. After stretching, he looked over at his clock. . . which read 5:59 pm. He froze in horror when he realized he'd slept through the day. He cursed and walked over to his window where he could see the neighboring complex's rooftop. Hinata's complex was shorter than his.  
'How could this day get any worse?' His question was answered when he looked at the two figures sitting on the rooftop. His fists clenched and his face scowled when he realized they were Naruto was sitting on the ground and Hinata kneeling next to him, handing him a glass with a liquid. They were talking about something, smiling. Sasuke gritted his teeth. They stopped talking and were just looking at each other for several seconds. Sasuke fumed. Naruto said something, and they both looked away. Naruto got up and grabbed his jacket while finishing his drink. He was about to leave when Hinata walked over to him and leaned up to his face. But Sasuke's vision was blocked by Naruto's head. What did she do?! Did she whisper something to him? Or did she-  
He put on a shirt and ran out of his apartment. He was halfway out of his complex as Naruto left and Hinata began walking back to her room.  
  
* * *  
  
Hinata was beside her open apartment door, and she couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Naruto when they finished their training. The words they interchanged were practically straight from her fantasies. The biggest smile was on her face as she repeated them over and over in her head. But the best part was when he was about to leave. . . and she reached up and-  
"Hinata!" She was snapped out of her reverie when an all too familiar voice called to her. She quickly turned to face Sasuke. An angry Sasuke.  
"W-what?" She knew something wasn't right.  
"What were you doing with Naruto?"  
"N-Naruto? What do you-eagh!" Sasuke shoved Hinata into her apartment and closed the door.  
"What are you-"  
"I thought you said you didn't have any free time?!"  
"W-what do you care what I d-do with someone else?"  
'Dammit!,' he thought, 'she's already being drawn to someone else!'  
"I care because we're gonna rebuild my clan together. I wanted to be more civil about this, but you've left me no choice." With that he reached out, grabbed her and forcefully planted his lips against hers. Her surprised scream was muffled. He then pulled her into a tight embrace when she tried to squirm out. This restricted the movement of her arms. Her protests were muffled again when his hands began to rove over her back and he began to push her back. But this gave enough leeway for her to move her arms a little, and she brought them together against his midsection as hard as she could. He groaned and his grip loosened just enough for her to push away. With a couple of feet separating them, Sasuke looked up to receive a bit of a shock. Hinata had assumed her fighting stance. He smirked.  
"Don't make this any harder than it has to be," he said. He began to walk towards her, his hands in a seal.  
"Stay back!" She performed a quick seal. "Byakugan!"  
"Oh, now that's what I like about you. You're strong when you need to be. But you can't defeat me. Kage no Bushin!" Sasuke shouted. He wondered what Naruto would have said had he known that he had copied his skill quite some time ago. Hinata was caught unawares by the appearance of the two shadow clones, and so was only able to ward off one before the other kicked her side. She stumbled back only to find herself stopped by a body, her arms being held behind her back. She was pushed down onto her bed where she was turned over, her arms being held back not only by Sasuke's grip, but by the weight of their bodies. Sasuke bent down and kissed Hinata again, hard. She squealed when he forced his body between her legs. She tried to scream when she felt him begin to move rhythmically against her, the hardness between his legs rubbing up against the soft flesh between hers. It wouldn't be long, she realized, before he would try to remove her clothes. Oh, God, he wanted to. . . Hinata arched as the sensation between her legs grew. Sasuke broke the kiss.  
"Feels good, doesn-" his words were cut off when Hinata brought her head down and slammed the top of it into his face. He growled at the sudden pain and stepped back. Hinata quickly got up and delivered a blow to Sasuke's stomach. Unguided by her Byakugan, the open handed punch did not rupture any vital organs, but it did throw Sasuke back several feet. She quickly turned and ran out the door, never looking back.  
"Hinata! The hell! Get the fuck back here!" he shouted. In a short time, he was up and following her.  
When Hinata made it outside, she picked a direction and ran. She wasn't really afraid of Sasuke. She just wasn't sure she could beat him. She needed to find a Jounin, an ANBU, or. . . up ahead she smiled as she saw. . .  
  
* * *  
  
"Naruto-kun!" Naruto turned to the familiar voice calling his name, wondering what she was doing out here. He had barely walked a block and a half when he was called out.  
"Sakura-chan, hey!" He ran over to the open air Okonomiyaki place where she was sitting with Ino. Before Naruto got to them, Ino leaned over to Sakura and whispered, "Watch this. I'm gonna show you my Maximum Sex Appeal Technique, and Naruto's gonna be my guinea pig." Ino winked at her, and Sakura blinked in surprise. She stared at her as she got up to greet Naruto, her hips swaying.  
"Hello, Ino-san," he greeted cordially.  
"Hello, Naruto-kun," she replied in her most sultry voice. Naruto froze and looked at her funny. "I'm really happy to see you," she continued as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her body tight to his. Her face was millimeters away from his. "I really missed you." Her words were dripping with sexiness.  
"What the heck is wrong with you?" Naruto asked. Ino fell down in a twitching heap and Sakura started to laugh out loud. Naruto just looked at them, clueless.  
"Nice try, Ino," Sakura said, "but it takes more than that to cut through his thick skull."  
"Hey!" he shouted. Sakura and Ino giggled.  
"What're you doing around here?" Sakura asked him as he sat down with them.  
"Heh. I was gonna ask you the same thing. I'm gettin' some special training 'round here. It's a surprise, though! You two?"  
"Sakura and I were just-"  
"Hanging around here all day, that's what!!" the restaurant's owner shouted.  
"The hell?!" Ino shouted.  
"That's right, you two twerps've been here all day scarin' my customers away!"  
"We most certainly have not!" Ino and Sakura shouted.  
"Sheeet, whenever anyone comes up you start talking' to 'em, get all up in their face and your eyelids start twitchin'!"  
"We're flirting with them, old man!" Sakura shouted.  
"Flirting?!" he then began to laugh boisterously, almost falling over. The girls' veins were about to pop, their hands clenched in fists.  
"At least we've been buying your crappy Okonomiyaki!" Ino shouted. They continued to argue. Naruto just looked at them, horrified.  
"Naruto-kun!" He turned to the sound of the voice calling out to him, and was taken aback by the sight of Hinata running towards him fast. "Hinata-chan!" The girls turned to him and then Hinata. But as soon as they saw Sasuke running up behind her at full speed, they got up and began to go to them. Hinata finally reached Naruto and quickly grabbed onto him tightly.  
"Naruto-kun! Help me!"  
"What's going on?"  
"Hinata-chan?"  
"What happened?"  
"I. . .I. . . Sasuke, he. . ." she was about to cry.  
"Naruto, give her here," Sasuke said as he caught up to them. He indicated to Hinata.  
"Hinata-chan, what's the matter?"  
"Naruto, give her to me. This is none of your concern." Sasuke was getting closer. Hinata moved behind Naruto. He had no idea what to do. Ino moved up to Hinata and placed a hand on her shoulder. Hinata looked at her.  
"Tell us what happened."  
"Sasuke. . . he. . . he," then it dawned on her, "he tried to rape me!"  
  
To be concluded! 


	6. Part 5

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead, as this takes place during the events of Chapter 177 (before Orochimaru's men attack Sasuke). You have been warned.  
  
A/N: You might wanna read the last section of the previous chapter as I added some stuff for continuity purposes. . . go! Now! Before the plot hole monster comes to eat your left brain lobe up!!  
  
Now, the conclusion:  
  
Part 5  
  
* * *  
  
Everyone was frozen in place. And for several moments no one moved, but only because no one could. Naruto and Sakura's hearts all but stopped at her words. Ino's began to race. Sasuke's fists began to clench, his face contorting into the foulest countenance he has ever manifested. Clutching tighter to Naruto, Hinata gasped when she saw on Sasuke a look that turned her blood to ice. Sakura's breath sped up, and Ino could only stare at Sasuke, dumbfounded. Naruto's shocked expression sobered when he saw what was happening to Sasuke.  
His curse seal was spreading, already covering half of his face.  
"Give her to me," Sasuke growled. "She's MINE." The others flinched when his chakra emitted a shockwave at the last word. Other than that, Sakura was frozen in terror. So was Hinata. Naruto simply glared at him, deciding whether or not he should-  
"Bastard!" Ino shouted as she drew a kunai and threw it at Sasuke. He caught the projectile effortlessly and shot it right back at her. Ino barely had time to react and moved just barely enough so the blade only nicked a shallow cut on her neck. She gasped and fell as she was thrown off balance by her dodge and the slight but unexpected pain.  
"Ino!" Sakura shouted and knelt beside her. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice fraught with concern and fear. Ino's hand was over the wound, a small trickle of blood coming from behind it.  
"That was a kill shot. . ." Ino muttered. Sakura blanched.  
"Naruto, step aside," Sasuke ordered and made a seal.  
"Like hell I will!" he shouted and made a seal. He knew where this was going now.  
"Fine. Sharingan!" Naruto had his cue.  
'Alright, you dumb fox, I need you now!' Naruto groaned as kyuubi's chakra was released to him. Nine tail-shaped wisps of chakra surrounded him. Hinata stepped away from him.  
'He uses bushin, henge, kawarimi, and kage bushin to trick opponents. . . I can see through his illusions. . . but he knows that. . . I'm faster than him. . . probably knows that, too. . . illusions! I can do them, too. He can't see through them, and my clones are solid, too. I'll have to trick the master trickster with illusions and overtake him with speed.'  
'He can see through illusions. . . he's faster than me, but I'm a little bit faster, now. . . I can't rely on it, though. . . my clones are still solid, and I can create a lot. . . I'll wear him down with clones and create an opening for my Rasengan.'  
They charged.  
"Kage no Bushin!" they shouted simultaneously and the number of fighters was quadrupled. Naruto was almost caught off-guard by this, but kept on. The clones fell onto each other in a heap of punches and kicks, the real fighters caught in the middle. This lasted for nearly a minute. Then, a Naruto was punched in the face and vanished. Another was kicked and vanished. The last fell down and vanished. Sasuke landed a hard punch on Naruto and he reeled. But before he could even smirk, Naruto had twirled his body in the direction the punch threw him. He barely caught him grabbing shuriken from his pouch and only just dodged the one throw at him. His clones weren't as fast at noticing the shuriken and vanished as soon as they hit. Naruto immediately recovered and made several seals. Sasuke had landed, and recognized the seals as soon as they were made.  
"Kage no Bushin no Jutsu!" Almost a dozen clones materialized around him and charged.  
'He's gotten a bit faster. Humph. I'll show him real speed.' He ran to them and effortlessly eliminated two clones and made to kick a third, but was shocked as his kick passed right trough it. Falling out of tempo, he couldn't block the fourth clone's punch to his face. He was thrown back several feet, painfully reminded of the fact that Naruto was physically stronger than him. He cursed as he tried to get back up as quickly as he could.  
"They all look the same to you, don't they?!" Naruto shouted, "you and your stupid Sharingan!" He continued his attack on Sasuke. He realized that Naruto had mixed in regular clones with his shadow clones. And they DID look the same to him. He charged anyways, making seals. As they were approaching each other, Sasuke jumped straight up and Naruto's clones followed him. Sasuke brought up a hand to his mouth.  
"Grand Fireball no Jutsu!" Sasuke then blew a wave of fire at the shocked clones and they were gone. Sasuke just barely noted the movement and quickly brought his hands up to block Naruto's pinwheel kick from above. He had used one of the clones as a springboard at the last moment to get above Sasuke. He looked up right after catching Naruto's leg only to see the other leg about to be brought down on his head. He let go of the first foot with one hand and just dodged the second kick. Still holding onto a leg with his other hand, he used the augmented strength from the curse seal to throw Naruto to the ground. But as he was thrown, Naruto grabbed his last kunai and shot it at Sasuke. He growled when the kunai became lodged in his left shoulder. A split second later both boys landed on their backs, Naruto from being thrown down, Sasuke from loss of concentration and balance due to the pain the blade caused. They stayed there for several seconds, breathing hard, eyes staring up at nothing. Slowly, they sat up, both wincing from their exertion, and stared at each other. Sasuke grabbed the kunai and pulled it out of his shoulder, barely flinching as he did so. He threw it right past Naruto's head, cutting a couple of hairs. He reflexively turned his head and followed the kunai's path.  
Sakura yelped as she dodged the projectile headed for her. It became lodged on the wall right next to her, millimeters away from her face. She turned her head to the boys with wide eyes, the color drained from her face. Hinata and Ino were behind her. Naruto realized they were trying to get away from the fight. They were trying to get Hinata away from Sasuke.  
"You're not going anywhere," Sasuke growled. Naruto turned to face him and saw the curse seal had spread even further across his face. He almost gasped when he saw how much odium was clearly visible on his face. Sasuke stood up. Naruto's own rage began to boil he realized Sasuke twice tried to kill fellow Shinobi, one being Sakura. And what he tried to do to Hinata! Hinata, who had - rational thought left the two boys as Naruto's eyes turned red, his face elongating, his nails turning into claws. He growled ferociously at Sasuke.  
"Damned fox. . ." Sasuke growled, feeling another presence within him.  
"Wretched snake. . ." Naruto grumbled back at him. Sasuke's curse seal glowed briefly. They stood, Sasuke making several seals, Naruto concentrating chakra upon his hand.  
"Chidori!"  
"Rasengan!"  
They charged, poised to strike each other with their attacks.  
"Hinata-chan!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Here you are."  
"Thanks, Hinata-chan." Naruto gulped the water down fast. Hinata, however, drank with moderation, her eyes fixed on Naruto. Studying him. Nothing made sense about the boy in front of him, and she so wanted to know everything there was to know about him. When he finished, he let out a very satisfied sigh and set the glass down. Hinata's eyes instantly went to her water glass.  
"That tastes better than my tap," Naruto said. Hinata nodded with a smile. "Damn, this Taijutsu stuff's hard. . . but not the same kinda hard as a Ninjutsu or a Genjutsu." Hinata nodded again and set her glass down.  
"Why do you want to beat Sasuke-san so badly?" she asked. She had to suppress a giggle as Naruto's face contorted pensively.  
"He's my rival," he said, "but. . . he's also thick-headed, y'know. Like, he doesn't notice what's right in front of him. . . I figure, one of these days, I'm gonna have to smack some sense into him. . . but first I gotta be able to, y'know, smack him at all." Hinata giggled. "We all have people precious to us that we have to protect. I know I do. So does Sakura. . . but I'm not too sure about Sasuke. . . if he does something stupid, I gotta be the one to get past his thick skull. He could make some people really sad if anything happened to him. If he wasn't there. . ." he almost whispered the last part.  
'His best rival and his best friend,' Hinata thought. Naruto looked at Hinata.  
"Y'know, you're someone important to me now."  
"M-me?" she said as she blushed brightly.  
"Yeah. . . your support in the Chuunin exam, when you helped me cheat, the stuff you gave me for my wounds, I realized you were a very caring person. And when Neji started all bad mouthing you, but you still stood up to him, I realized, you're a lot like me. We're both losers destined for greatness! Uh, no offense or anythin'."  
"It's alright. Go on." She listened attentively now.  
"Well, I know you can fight and all, but. . . we're all still Genin. There are plenty of really tough people out there." An image of Uchiha Itachi flashed in his mind briefly. "So, if you ever need my help, I'll be there for ya!" He gave a thumbs up. She smiled at the gesture, her cheeks quite crimson.  
"A-arigato, Naruto-kun. That. . . means a lot to me." She looked up to him.  
"Alright," he said in a moderate voice, and they looked at each other for an immeasurable amount of time.  
"Kawaii. . ." Naruto whispered. Hinata's face instantly became crimson and Naruto's face also flushed when he realized what he said. They both looked away in embarrassment. Naruto coughed and began to stand up.  
"Well, I gotta go. . ." he as he went to grab his jacket.  
"Wait. . ." Hinata said softly. Naruto stopped. Hinata slowly walked up to him until she was facing him. "For what it's worth. . . I'll be there for you, too, Naruto-kun. I'll protect you, if you need it." She reached up and briefly touched her lips to his before she ran back inside. Naruto looked back at where she was standing in simple awe.  
"Hinata-chan. . ."  
  
* * *  
  
Both boys were completely appalled. Their attacks had hit. A split second later, Sasuke went flying back several feet, then rolling several more before coming to a stop. Confused, his mind went through the gamut of negative emotions before blackness overtook him. Moments later, unable to cope with the massive internal lesions his body received, his heart stopped and Uchiha Sasuke took his last breath.  
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura ran past Naruto and Ino could only fall back in shock, the color drained from her face.  
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto had fallen back from the weight of Hinata's body. He froze when he saw the thick flow of blood coming out of her mouth. He shook her and his mind started to reel at the lack of resistance from her limbs.  
"Naruto-kun. . ." she said very weakly.  
"Hinata-chan! What did you do?!"  
"Are you alright Naruto-kun?" her voice was barely a whisper.  
"Am I. . . what were you thinking?! Why did you block the Chidori. . ." Tears were beginning to swell up in his eyes.  
"Because. . . we promised to protect each other. . ." She smiled.  
"But. . ." Tears were flowing freely now.  
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura was shaking him, her eyes showing utter terror. "Sasuke-kun, wake up! Please. . ." she stopped shaking him when she looked into his eyes and saw nothing. At the realization, she broke down and began to cry, clutching tightly to Sasuke.  
"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. . ."  
"Sorry?! What the hell are you apologizing for?!"  
"I'm making you cry. . ." Naruto clutched to Hinata tighter.  
"You can't die. Please. You can't leave. . . you can't leave me. . . I just found you." Hinata coughed and Naruto looked at her. Their eyes met and he saw just how much he meant to her. Slowly, he leaned down and placed his lips on hers. He stayed there for several seconds, until he could no longer feel her lips pushing back. He leaned back up and became numb when he realized she was no longer breathing.  
"Hinata-chan. . ."  
Ino had walked up to Sakura and embraced her hard. She didn't know what else to do or say, so she just stayed there with her.  
  
* * *  
  
ANBU and some Jounin arrived at the aftermath shortly thereafter. The three survivors were questioned, but were incapable of answering. They were incarcerated until their teachers and Tsunade-sama herself interrogated them. The three told them everything as well as they knew or had seen. There was no reason for them to lie. As they had done nothing wrong, Ino and Sakura were released. Naruto, however, was suspended from the Shinobi for two years. When he returned, he was banned from the Chuunin selection exam for a further three years. He became a Chuunin at 18 and a Jounin at 21.  
Sakura upon release was reassigned to the team Hinata was on. Although difficult to replace not only a fallen comrade, but also someone who was already well-coordinated with the other team members, she soon overcame this and became invaluable to Shino and Kiba. She and Ino became Chuunins at 16. Sakura became a Jounin at 21.  
With no clan or family, Sasuke was cremated without ceremony by the ANBU. Hinata was given a somber but concise ceremony by her family before her funeral pyre. Her name was added to the Shrine of Fallen Shinobi. Sasuke's was not. Eventually, Uchiha Itachi was hunted down and the Uchiha clan was gone and forgotten, save by a very few. But Hatake Kakashi was not the last to have a Sharingan Eye.  
  
* 


	7. Epilogue

"Blind"  
by EfrainMan  
  
Naruto is © Kishimoto Masashi/Shueisha/Viz Shonen Jump. Y_Y Warning, some spoilers ahead, as this takes place during the events of Chapter 177 (before Orochimaru's men attack Sasuke). You have been warned.  
  
A/N: Well, some people didnae like the ending. Ah, well. It was the ending I had originally planned anyways. I didn't write this as I went along, I didn't plan to make this a saga, I already had it outlined. *sigh* Remember, the story was in the Romance/Tragedy genre. Well, here's the epilogue, and the story's finished. BOOYA!  
  
Epilogue  
  
* * *  
  
"I hear them coming!"  
"Good ear. Alright, don't give yourselves away." Six rookie Genins became perfectly still at their sensei's instruction. They waited impatiently for their prey to spring the trap. They could all hear their footfalls now and their sensei was surprised the duo headed their way weren't speaking. Everyone tensed when they heard how close their quarry was. They held their breaths when the door was grabbed.  
PLOP!  
Raucous laughter suddenly erupted from the classroom, augmented by one from outside. The masked, pink-haired Jounin looked down at the eraser on the ground that had just dropped on top of her head and her one visible eye twitched. She looked up at the classes' sensei and gave her the most acrid stare she could with one eye. The sensei only snickered. The Jounin looked back at the source of the laughter behind her and the spiky, blonde- haired Jounin instantly quieted before she gave HIM the "evil eye."  
"Ino-chan," she said finally, turning to the Genin, "this is definitely the worst bunch of losers you've ever scrounged up. I hate them already." The Genin blanched and the two kunoichis apologized immediately.  
"I knew you'd like them, Sakura-chan," Ino replied with a grin. "The black haired boy over there is the mastermind behind this whole operation." She indicated to him. "He's also assigned to you."  
"NANI?!" he shouted.  
"As dead last," Ino continued, "you and the top rookie-"  
"That's me!" the girl sitting next to him shouted.  
"-are assigned to the best instructor Jounin." The boy groaned and collapsed in his chair. "The other three are yours, Naruto-kun."  
"Alright!" he stated, rubbing his hands together, "fresh meat."  
"The two boys assigned to him stared and the girl backed away slightly, clearly spooked. Naruto noticed her reaction.  
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna eat ya. But I am gonna be tough on you guys and make you into kick-ass Shinobi." He then gave them their first glimpse of his vulpine grin. "Wait for us outside, we gotta discuss something with your Sensei."  
"Hai!" the six shouted in unison and marched out the door. Naruto was looking back at them.  
"The girl's a Hyuga. . ." he said.  
"Yeah. . ." Ino said, "I hope you don't-"  
"She looks so much like her. . ." he said wistfully. He felt a hand grasp his and he turned to see Sakura smiling at him through her mask.  
"I couldn't assign her to anyone else." Ino said.  
"It's alright. I'll just make sure to train her strong. If our Genin are strong and honorable, it'll never happen again." Ino smiled at him. "By the way, is everything planned for tonight?"  
"Yup," Ino said. "All ready to go."  
"I told you two," Sakura said, "I don't want a party for my birthday."  
"We're not having a party," Ino said as she moved to Sakura, who felt Naruto wrap his hands around her from behind and placed his chin on her shoulder.  
"We have a surprise," he said. Ino wrapped her arms around Sakura from the front and their faces were millimeters away from each other. She reached up, pulled down her mask and pushed up her hitai-ate to reveal the scar on the left side of her face and the Sharingan Eye. Ino and Naruto were the only ones ever allowed to see the full beauty of her visage.  
"What kind of surprise?"  
"The kind that makes you glad you have two lovers." Sakura shivered at her words and anything she might have said in response were cut off by Ino's kiss.  
  
FIN  
  
* * *  
  
A note on varied, "non-canon", out of the ordinary pairings (feel free to share opinions one way or another):  
  
Sasuke/Hinata: Despite this story, I really think this a cute couple. Since Hinata has no interest in him, they could easily become friends with only the simplest of circumstances. Good friends at that age can sometimes lead to life mates.  
  
Naruto/Ino: "What are you smokin', d00d?!" you might say. But seriously, I can really see these two becoming a couple. Ino seems to be, (from what little appearances she has had in the manga/anime) as fun-loving as Naruto and a bit mischievous, too. I.e., doesn't hide that like Sakura. They could really hit it off easily, too, if they spent enough time together. Can't you imagine those two, an arm around the other's neck, grinning widely, making a "V" with their fingers? o_O  
  
Sakura/Neji: There's a couple of fics out there now dealing with this. Sweet. Newayz, Neji's not really uninterested in girls, as far as I can tell. Just more interested in getting stronger. Sakura's the cutest in the Genin lot (IMO :p ), and who knows, she may catch his eye once his interest in the opposite sex begins to grow. And, depending on what Sasuke has done to her, she may return the interest. 


End file.
